Point Shirley

That area of our peninsula known as Point Shirley was the first portion of the original Winthrop Farm to be purchased for other than farming purposes. In 1753 a group of Boston businessmen acquired the Point from Joseph Belcher and established a fishery there, which at its peak had 300 people living in the housing built for its employees. At the grand opening of the fishery, the area officially received its name in honor of the then Royal Governor William Shirley. Two of the homes constructed in 1753 and 1756 are still used as residences on Siren Street. While the business operated only a short time, some of the buildings were used in 1759 to quarter British Troops. In 1764, they were reopened for use as an Inoculation Hospital and then again in 1767 to provide shelter for Acadians who had been removed in exile from Nova Scotia.

On April 19, 1775, a band of 17 local patriots constructed a small stonewall at the top of the hill by Hale Avenue, to serve as a fort, and stood guard for 30 days as the Revolutionary War broke out in Lexington and Concord.


In 1808 Russell Sturgis bought rights to Point Shirley and in 1811 opened a salt works, which continued operation until about 1840. Orray Taft built his famous Taft’s Hotel and Restaurant in 1830 where Maryland, Townsend and Otis Streets are now. Following a fire in 1851, the main structure was rebuilt and the business flourished until 1889 when the remaining buildings were then used as The Point Shirley Club up through the 1920’s. A Greek Club/Restaurant then occupied the building until it was razed in the early 1950’s for house lots. A picture of the old Taft Hotel is provided below.


In 1844, the Revere Copper Works was established. This industry continued through the Civil War and finally closed its doors in 1869. Forty acres of their land were sold in 1883 for the development of house lots and the resort business began.